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Fitness4x4 – The Way of Dragan
Warning
Not all exercises are suitable for everyone.
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Fitness4x4 – The Way of Dragan
Foreword
By Rajko Radovic
BSc. Sport Science,
Loughborough University
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Fitness4x4 – The Way of Dragan
I laughed! This statement was coming from a man who had
been involved in fitness from a young age. How could he
possibly expect to top the excellent physical condition he
achieved in his twenties, at the grand old age of fifty?
Was he fit? It was safe to say he was indeed far fitter than at
any point previously in his life! Of course to me there was
nothing particularly remarkable about this because I’d seen the
gradual progression year to year and it seemed entirely normal.
But, one day after a tough training session together, as I
watched my dad going about his business while I tried to ignore
my incredibly sore muscles, I suddenly recalled the bet we had
made seven years previously. It dawned on me that, at that
time, I had been so sure my dad would be old and ‘past it’ when
he reached 50, that in my mind it was virtually a FACT. And if I
had won the bet, nobody would have blinked an eyelid to hear
that a young sportsman aged 21 had become fitter than his 50-
year-old father! But the remarkable thing was, even at my peak I
still wasn’t fitter than my 50-year-old dad! It was at this point, for
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Fitness4x4 – The Way of Dragan
the very first time in my life, I recognized the incredible value of
what my dad was proving to himself, to me and to society.
I suppose the story could end there. My dad proved his point,
that you can still be fit and look fantastic when you get older. But
the amazing thing is that the story didn’t finish there. As I
approach 26 and my dad approaches 55, I now expect my dad to
be a little fitter each year! This goes against logic and everything
I’ve ever seen or been led to believe.
This book is not just about “How to look great at fifty.” Of course
we are all fundamentally concerned with looking good, and
Dragan has discovered the secret to achieving that. But even
more importantly this book is about a way of putting on hold the
ageing process and being at your physical peak well past the
age that any doctors or experts would have ever suggested was
possible.
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Fitness4x4 – The Way of Dragan
I hope you can change your life by reading this book, like so
many have already. Just open your mind to the possibility of a
different way.
Be inspired!
Rajko Radovic
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CONTENTS
Foreword .................................................................................... 3
A personal note…....................................................................... 9
Just Good Genetics? ................................................................ 11
Ageing & Diminishing Vitality .................................................... 14
A Matter of Perspective…......................................................... 17
My goal for you…...................................................................... 21
Why Do We Exercise?.............................................................. 24
Explain It To An Alien! .............................................................. 25
What is Vitality? ........................................................................ 26
The Importance of Vitality ......................................................... 30
Measuring Vitality ..................................................................... 31
Two Extremes of Fitness .......................................................... 32
What Fitness Is Not…............................................................... 35
Fitness Defined… ..................................................................... 39
Cardiovascular Conditioning..................................................... 41
Summary .................................................................................. 46
1. The “4x4” Principle................................................................ 51
2.Maximizing Energy Output..................................................... 58
3. Simultaneous Cardio- and Muscle Training .......................... 76
4. Minimal Time Investment ...................................................... 94
Getting Started........................................................................ 110
It’s Time to Test! ..................................................................... 115
Your Fitness4x4 Training........................................................ 123
Vertical Lift Guidelines ............................................................ 127
Squat Guidelines .................................................................... 131
The “Dragan Challenge” ......................................................... 134
Frequently Asked Questions................................................... 135
In Closing… ............................................................................ 145
Feedback................................................................................ 146
Questions ............................................................................... 147
Going Further ….. ................................................................... 148
Personal Stats Page ............................................................... 149
Progress Chart........................................................................ 150
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A personal note…
As I take my first steps into the 6th decade of my life I have come
to one conclusion: it is the Fitness4x4 exercise concept that has
allowed me to experience a level of vitality unmatched by any
period in the previous 50 years of my existence. I recall the best
days of my 20s when I believed that I was at my highest fitness
and best physical condition. At the time I would have thought it a
joke if someone had suggested that a 50-year-old man could be
in the same condition. Yet here I am at 53 years of age,
undeniably fitter than I was in those days of my ‘peak fitness’ and
capable of physical feats that are simply beyond anything I could
have done at that time.
Good luck,
Dragan
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Several of my first cousins, who are the same age as me, are
surely of the same genetic stock but are still no different to what
you would call typical 50 year-olds. I remember them to be very
healthy young men – always healthier and stronger than myself.
It is obvious to me that the noticeable differences in our physical
conditions today are the direct result of our different lifestyles,
not our genetics. I am grateful for undeniably good genetics but
it is Fitness4x4 that has allowed me to have the health I enjoy
today.
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More than 30 years have passed since the day that I proudly
completed those 200 squats in my College fitness test. Now at
the age of 53, it would be normal for me to be nostalgic about
those days of youthful vitality, energy and vigor. It is very
common to hear the woeful expression “I wish I was young
again.” The reason people say that is because they miss the
vigor and energy that they had when they were young.
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Although my father’s friend had the best intentions, his short
monologue was the most unpleasant birthday message I have
ever received. His words echoed in my mind for many days to
come. Were his words the truth about life and ageing? Had I
just begun a long, unpleasant, downhill slide to the pits of
physical existence just because I was not in my twenties
anymore? Was this really the beginning of the rest of my life,
with my youth behind me? Had my body passed its fitness peak
already? These and similar questions kept coming back to me
and I didn’t know the answers.
More than twenty years have passed since that occasion. I have
no idea whether this doctor is still alive or where he might be
now. But I will never forget our dialogue in which I had so little
to say. I often feel that I would like to have another conversation
with him, particularly when I reach new peaks of fitness now after
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the age of 50. I wish I could tell him that his well-intentioned
advice was way off the mark and how at 53 I am still looking into
the future to discover what my true physical potential is. Today,
my exercising is even more strenuous than it was in my twenties,
and I don’t see myself slowing down in the near future. My
doctor-friend was wrong. I strongly believe now that the human
body does not have to become more fragile and delicate after
the age of thirty, forty or even fifty.
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A Matter of Perspective…
We all observe and understand exercise from our own individual
perspective, which is based upon what we have learned, seen
and experienced. You might say that this perspective is the set
of glasses we wear. For example, two people might see exercise
in two very different ways depending on the ‘glasses’ they are
wearing. A man placed in solitary confinement in a prison cell
may see exercise as a way to ensure his basic survival and
preserve his sanity. In contrast, a rich housewife in Beverley
Hills might see exercise as simply being an enjoyable leisure
option, as her attractive personal trainer takes her through a fun
workout. So what exactly is exercise, and why do we do it?
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In the past ten years I have been frequently asked, “Dragan,
what’s the secret to your abdominals?” Most people assume I
perform thousands of crunches per day, or have a secret set of
abdominal exercises. The truth is I have barely performed sit-ups
or crunches at all in over ten years! The secret to my abdominals
is quite obvious to me, yet when people hear my secret they
often dismiss it as being a cover up, or simply untrue. The truth
is the secret to every aspect of my physical condition is
something I call Energy Output Capacity. It is not what special
set of exercises you do, or what special contraption you use! .
The body’s ability to produce energy is what dictates vitality, and
is what allows me to be in the shape I’m in, and to have great
abdominal definition permanently – in season, off season…any
season!
Fitness4x4 is not just a new
exercise method – it is a
liberation! As you begin to focus
all of your efforts and thoughts
on dramatically changing your
body’s ability to produce energy,
you will find you no longer have
to battle in vain with all of those
things you thought were your
priority – i.e. losing a few inches
around your waist; building
bigger biceps; developing a six-
pack; toning your thighs and butt
etc. etc. These things become
peripheral concerns that you are able to achieve much more
easily once you understand grasp your main goal. This book will
help you to see what that main goal really should be…
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“Perhaps I can help you achieve your goal and perhaps not.
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I am not in the business of weight loss or bodybuilding. But what
I can offer you is far, far greater. I can show you how to change
the very core of your physical being. If you can recognize the
benefit of this, then I will help you change your life.”
The aim of this book is to show you the value of optimum vitality,
and teach you how you can achieve it with minimal time
investment.
The legendary Bill Kazmire congratulates Dragan after another successful challenge.
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Your Task
As you come to terms with the theories and principles behind
Fitness4x4, there are times when it will be necessary to simply
put down the book and just do it! After all, I did not get where I
am today by theorizing! To help you get started I have designed
a series of tasks for you to fulfill as you progress through the
book. Some of these tasks are physical and others require some
thought, but all of them are essential. Tasks will always be
found in RED type. It is important to stop your reading and
complete each task before progressing if you are to genuinely
benefit from this program.
In the final section of the book you will learn how to begin your
Fitness4x4 training, and start achieving optimum fitness and
vitality.
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Why Do We Exercise?
This is the very first question I ask upon beginning my fitness
seminars. Though it seems an easy question to answer, it has
proven to be more difficult to answer than one might expect.
Stop for a moment, take a pen and complete the following task:
TASK 1
Without referring to any books, in the space below
answer the following question: -
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Explain It To An Alien!
Imagine for a moment that you are sitting at home when
suddenly an alien appears by your side. The alien informs you
that it has been transported to Earth to observe human life, and
asks you to go about your normal day-to-day business. It will
simply watch and ask questions. When evening comes, you tell
the alien you are going out to exercise. The alien does not know
what ‘exercise’ is, so before you depart you must try to explain in
the most logical and understandable way what it is you are going
out to do and why?
Take another look at what you wrote
on the previous page and ask yourself
whether it would be understandable
and logical to the alien? All too often
our purpose for exercise is not an
objective one.
When you come back to basics, you
will discover that the only objective
purpose for exercise is to achieve and
maintain optimum vitality. All other
purposes for exercise are subjective. When we define the
purpose of exercise, it shouldn’t just make sense to a sportsman,
a doctor or fitness professional from the 21st century – it should
make sense to an uneducated man from the 12th Century! So if
you said the purpose of exercise is to be in shape, to lose a few
pounds, to be a better sportsman, to be bigger, to relieve stress
or even to have fun, your reason would not be universal and
would not make sense to all people from all walks of life. For
example, losing weight might seem like a sensible aim in our
culture, yet there are cultures that would find the desire to lose
weight most unnatural and instead favor large, full bodies.
Maximizing vitality, on the other hand, is much closer to a
universally acceptable purpose and accepted by all people past
and present, because you would be talking about a state of
physical well-being. So how do we define vitality?
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What is Vitality?
Dictionary Definition: “Persistent Energy”
Actual
Vitality Maximal Energy Capacity
Pseudo
Vitality Maximal Energy Capacity
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Vitality is an objective measure of a person’s level of persistent
energy. It is entirely possible that a person aged 40 may have
greater vitality than a person aged 20, if the 40-year-old’s body
can do more work, produce more energy and recover faster. In
the above example of the farmers (and in numerous examples in
real life), until we perform a test, it is impossible to say who is
more vital – the young man or the old man. The reason we
cannot say is that ‘pseudo-vitality’, or the appearance of vitality,
in everyday life is dependant on a variety of factors such as: a
person’s state of mind; what stimulants they may be taking, skin
condition, sun tan etc… If we simply look at how vital a
person appears to be (pseudo vitality), we cannot make an
objective assessment.
TASK 2
Take a few minutes to answer the following question
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Small-town mentality
This attitude reminds me of some people from the small town
where I was born who, with inexplicable confidence, talk about
the downfalls of other places in the world and praise the place
where they live although they have never been anywhere else!
To me, to say that vitality and health are “just one among other
important things in life” is like saying that the Sun is one of the
many important planets in our solar system. It is not! Without the
sun, we would not be alive to even know about other planets and
philosophize about their importance.
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Measuring Vitality
We measure a person’s vitality by their level of fitness. Fitness is
the very tangible and measurable thing that defines your vitality.
We may say that fitness is the missing link…
TASK 3
When you think of the best ways to improve your
fitness, what are the activities that spring to mind?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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When it comes to exercise, most people are split between a
choice of two opposites just like the two cars we just described.
You can chose the strength, power, muscular development and
the physically impressive rewards of weight training (the Drag
car!) or you can choose the endurance, efficiency, leanness and
cardiovascular fitness that is gained from running, cycling,
aerobics and other such activities (the solar powered car!). And
the reality for most people is that there really is no third choice.
Some people believe there is a third choice – that you can have
the best of both worlds by splitting your workouts evenly between
cardio and weights - but reality proves this to be untrue. That is
why you do not see the winner of Mr. Universe leading the pack
at the New York Marathon, or the Marathon champion on the
stage posing next to Mr. Universe!
To have both of these extremes of fitness – muscular
development and cardiovascular fitness is theoretically possible
using conventional training methods, but it comes at a price most
people cannot afford to pay. And that price is time investment.
For a handful of people who can afford to spend all day everyday
combining bodybuilding and cardio training, there is a middle
ground, but for the majority of the world’s population, this is far
from being an option.
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Once you have changed your body’s energy capacity, you are
then in a far superior position to focus on the subjective issues
such as appearance and muscle size.
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“You know what Dragan, you look terrible. I think your age has
finally caught up with you. Are you not training anymore, you
look like you’ve lost 20lbs!?”
Just a few weeks later I saw my old friend again, having spent a
few weeks eating, training and sleeping well in a sunny climate.
I had gained a few pounds of muscle, taken a good rest and got
a good suntan. I laughed when my friend told me I was looking
better than he’d ever seen me look in his life. I was now 50
years old and he’d known me for 40 years! I deliberately took
no notice of his compliment even though I knew he spoke with
total honesty, and instead that night I again visited the gym. An
hour later, having again achieved a high energy output, I smiled
as I thought to myself,
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Fitness Defined…
We define fitness as: “The ability to sustain controlled
physical exertion at high intensity for an extended
duration.” In order to maintain high-intensity activity for an
extended duration (and therefore be considered fit) a person
must have:-
*We use the term Muscular System simply to refer to the muscles of the body.
We use the term Cardiovascular System in its broad sense to encompass the
cardio-vascular and cardio-respiratory systems of the body.
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Most fitness authorities would not dispute these two
requirements. What most people miss, however, and where
Fitness4x4 diverges from the mainstream, is that these
requirements must apply equally to the upper-body and lower-
body.
If you are not familiar with the training zone concept, then the
following section will be of great value to you, as an
understanding of ‘the zone’ is crucial to effective
cardiovascular conditioning.
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Cardiovascular Conditioning
The Zone
“Cardio Respiratory Endurance Conditining
requires being in your Target Heart Rate Zone”.
(American College of Sports Medicine 2003)
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Training intensity
(calculating your training zone)
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TASK 4
70% =
90% =
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Training Duration
Minimum:
For effective cardiovascular training it was also discovered that
the heart rate must be maintained in the Target Zone for at least
15mins. This is an approximate figure, but is a useful
benchmark to define the minimum length of time for which a
person should perform a ‘cardio’ workout.
Maximum:
The maximum length of time a person should remain in the zone
is less easily defined. Many fitness theories define even 50%-
70% of max as being considered fitness training. However, since
it is humanly possible to maintain such a low intensity heart rate
for many hours (e.g. endurance runners, cyclists, swimmers), in
Fitness4x4 we do not recognize this intensity of training as being
effective for fitness.
Minimum - 15minutes
Maximum - 60 minutes.
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The Zone
Why is it a range and not an exact figure?
The higher in the zone you are able to maintain your heart rate
during training, the greater your fitness improvements will be.
However, the higher the percentage of your maximum Heat Rate
that you train at, of course the more difficult it is to achieve the
required duration of training.
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Summary
The Essence of Fitness
The essence of fitness is the combination of muscular capacity
and cardiovascular capacity in the upper and lower body.
Neither of these elements of fitness is adequate in isolation. In
other words, as I have already mentioned, from a Fitness4x4
perspective neither a marathon runner nor a bodybuilder is truly
fit – they are both at different ends of the scale. True fitness is
being somewhere in the middle of this scale.
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1. Stand with feet shoulder
Fitness4x4 width
– The Way apart
of Dragan
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Squatting Technique
Principle 1
The ‘4x4’ Principle
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In the case of Fitness4x4, all four limbs of the human body are
involved in the process of getting fit – that’s what “4x4” stands
for. By Fitness4x4 standards, even the world’s best marathon
runner might be considered “average” or “below average”
depending on the condition of his upper-body. In Fitness4x4, not
only are the upper-body and the lower-body both involved in
exercising but both have an equal contribution to the overall
condition of the body – this is what we call “complete fitness.”
So, for example, those runners and joggers who pay little or no
attention to their upper-body’s condition are only partially fit.
Their upper-body’s contribution to their overall condition is
minimal. In other words, the upper-body and the lower-body are
out of balance (in terms of fitness). In a usual jogging session
the energy used by the lower-body is largely out of proportion to
that of the upper-body. In such circumstances, the upper-body
can never become fit and vital.
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If your upper-body (which represents more than 70% of the total
number of muscles in the body) is unfit and your legs are very fit,
you are still “average” in terms of overall fitness. The only way to
attain overall fitness is to have both parts of the body equally
conditioned.
Have you seen a car stuck in the soft, sandy surface of the
beach? The motor making a loud noise, the back wheels
spinning and sinking deeper and deeper into the sand whilst the
driver, in a frenzy, keeps pressing the accelerator pedal to the
floor trying to get the car to move. Yes, that is a “2x4” car and
the driver will need a push to get unstuck. Pressing harder on
the gas pedal won’t do it. Two wheels are spinning whilst the
other two wheels are immobile and unable to make a
contribution to the overall effort. Likewise, the upper-body of the
jogger makes an insignificant contribution to the overall effort of
getting fit. It just bounces up and down whilst the legs do all the
work.
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If you want total fitness – your entire body fit and vital – you have
to realize that your legs, on their own, are not going to get you
there. Increasing your jogging time or the intensity of your jog is
like stepping harder on the accelerator pedal of the car stuck in
the sand. You are only “spinning your wheels.” As far as your
upper-body condition is concerned you won’t get an inch further
away from where you first started. This is not to say that jogging,
cycling, etc. are not valid forms of exercise. The point is, the
upper-body needs to be exercised too, and in equal proportion
with the lower-body, in order to bring the body into balance.
Jogging and other such forms of exercise can never achieve this
on their own. Combined with Fitness4x4 training, they can.
Pursuing total fitness with only one half of your body is like
driving a two-wheel-drive vehicle off road – you won’t get very
far.
But how can you know if you have achieved the perfect balance
between muscular and cardiovascular conditioning (fitness) for
the entire body? The answer is it will be very clearly reflected in
your body’s ability to produce energy – your Energy Output
Capacity! This is something we will explore in the next chapter.
For now, lets take a look at another key exercise in Fitness4x4,
the Vertical Lift…
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Task 6
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5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
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Principle 2
Energy Output
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When man invented the car the core of his intention, his sole
motive, was to provide effective and comfortable transportation
from place to place. The most important thing was getting the
motor to run and efficiently transfer its power into the motion of
the wheels. That was what initially a car was all about. The
shape, color, decoration of the interior etc. was in the second
plan. Logically their thinking was: “Once we solve all the
problems with getting the car to move from place A to place B we
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will address the cosmetics and other issues”. What purpose
would it serve to have a great-looking car that can hardly get
anywhere?
In time this all changed. That which initially was the prime
consideration (the functionality and reliability) is now taken for
granted and hardly considered. Those thing which were initially
of secondary importance (the cosmetic aspect of the car),
became the key factor. Let me translate this into fitness. As I
already mentioned, most of the prospective club members who
came to join the club asked first how they can lose the fat from a
certain area of the body or how they can build muscle or reduce
the size of a part of the body, how they can firm up certain area,
improve their posture, get a better shape etc…
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TASK 7
On the following page Calculate the Energy Output
of the above two exercises, using the formula
provided on the previous page. To help you with your
calculations, some of the numbers have been
provided for you. When you have finished your
calculations, compare the difference in energy
output. (You may need a calculator).
Remember: ENERGY OUTPUT = weight (lb) x distance (in) x reps
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Weight =
No. of Reps =
= ___________units
Weight =
No. of Reps =
= ___________units
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“About one and a half hours, depending on how good I’m feeling
on the day.”
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Exercise Quality
If the Energy Output of an exercise routine is low, then the
quality of that routine will also be low, and the positive impact on
the person’s health and physical condition will be relatively weak.
Most people describe their gym workout by the length of time
spent in the gym. For example, “I workout one hour every day!”
Is one hour “too much” or “not enough?” We cannot make this
judgment because the Energy Output is not specified. It could be
100,000 units or 2,000,000 units and thus an hour in the gym
could be either too much or not enough.
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TASK 8
Note:
In the case of squats the weight being lifted is
actually your body weight, minus the weight of your
lower leg (which is not being lifted). For the sake of
simple calculation we suggest that you subtract 10%
of your body weight to find your approximate ‘squat
weight’. (e.g if you weigh 200lbs, your approximate squat
weight is 200 – 10% = 180lbs)
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Squats Range of movement
1. Find a wall.
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Principle 3
Simultaneous Cardiovascular and
Muscular Conditioning
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The advantage of Fitness4x4 is that it combines the two types of
conditioning into one activity, allowing you to get the best overall
results in the shortest possible time.
Chart created during lifting contest in Las Vegas 2000: Heart Rate vs Time
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Several fitness experts and exercise physiologists, who prior to
seeing the show were extremely skeptical about the value of my
program as a Cardiovascular workout, were taken aback as they
watched my heart rate activity on the display-board. They simply
could not believe the ability of such a simple exercise (one which
they perceived as a weight-training exercise) to be used as a
complete upper-body aerobic workout.
2. Cardiovascular Condition
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Two competitive men, Ali and Dan, were debating who was the
fittest worker in the company. Both were respected as being in
excellent physical condition, but an objective test was needed to
settle the matter. To resolve the argument, an experienced
foreman who was visiting the sight set them the infamous sand-
shoveling contest, which over the years had always separated
the best from the rest!
The old foreman weighed out 6 tons of sand into two identical
piles. The challenge was simply who could shovel all of their
sand into a nearby hole the fastest. Ali chose to use a BIG
shovel, while Dan chooses to use a SMALL shovel. The race
was on…
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What Happened?
Because Ali’s shovel was considerably bigger than Dan’s, he
could therefore move a lot more sand with each lift. He set to
work as fast as he possibly could, but the problem was that lifting
such a big shovel-load of sand was extremely demanding. Ali
was very strong, but after just a few minutes of shoveling as fast
as he could his muscles were beginning to fail and he was
getting very out of breath. At first he found he had to take
breaks, but he eventually found a pace of work he could
manage, and was able to get through the whole pile of sand. It
took him just 25minutes! By the end of it he was panting hard,
his muscles were exhausted and he was all out of energy!
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The old foreman had been watching the contest eagerly to see if
his long-standing record of 15minutes would be beaten. At the
end he approached the two exhausted men and shared his
wisdom…
Ali, you are clearly very strong as there are very few men who
can lift that big shovel even once! Many men have tried to use
the big shovel but after one or two minutes have thrown it down
in exhaustion! But you took rest when you needed it and relied
on your superior strength to pull you through. In Dan’s eyes,
you appeared to be working very slowly, but what you lost in
speed, you made up for with the great quantity of sand you were
able to able to move with every single lift of the shovel.
Both Ali and Dan were amazed and slightly embarrassed that
despite being considered two of the best young workers in the
company, even their best efforts were nothing compared to the
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old man’s performance! They were eager to hear the foreman’s
advice:
I will start with you Dan. Your heart is very strong, but your
muscles are weak! Like many shovelers before you, you have
focused entirely on your ability to work fast, without considering
that you are achieving very little with each lift of that small
shovel. If you do not recognize this, you will continue trying to
work faster and longer, but you will see only small improvements
in your ability to work effectively. You will never win the
shoveling contest. But if you build on your impressive fitness
base I am sure you can one day beat my record.
Ali, your muscles are very strong and capable, but that alone is
not enough. Without a strong heart and lungs, your body cannot
supply your muscles with energy, no matter how strong they are.
You will only ever be able to work hard in short bursts and
eventually even this will fade. However if you can master the art
of balancing your strength and fitness so that you can work
without stopping, you will have the potential to be the most
efficient worker.
The two men were amazed by his words and even more amazed
when in front of their eyes he took a medium sized shovel and
cleared an identical 3rd pile of sand in just 15minutes! For days
Dan and Ali could not stop talking about what they had seen and
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they made an agreement to follow his advice and beat his
record!
…But 3months later very little had changed. And 5 years later
even less had changed! Dan still took great pride in being able
to work at a faster rate than any other man, even though his
actual workload did not improve. He was still considered one of
the fittest workers in he company, but it was getting harder and
harder to maintain and he could feel himself having to slow down
a tiny amount every few months. He didn’t mind not being strong
– there were always people like Ali to do the real donkeywork,
and he liked being known as the fit guy! Ali still took great pride
in being the strongest worker in the company. He could lift more
than any man and he could still do a lot of work in a day, but he
did find he was starting to get out of breath very easily and his
wife had started to say he was getting fat. Still he was a
respected worker now and he could afford to take rests while the
young guys ran around.
Every now and then they would see the old man and shake their
heads in amazement. He was still stronger than most of the
young guys and the amazing thing was he just didn’t seem to get
tired! “It’s just one of those unbelievable things that you can’t
explain”, they thought to themselves as they wandered off home
after another day at work.
If these two workers had taken on the old man’s advice, they
would be able to comprehend his superior performance.
Similarly, when you fully understand Fitness4x4, certain physical
feats that many people consider unbelievable actually become
easy to understand and perfectly logical! The old man simply
found a perfect balance between pace of movement (how fast he
shoveled) and resistance to movement (the size of the shovel),
to maximize his energy output.
I’m sure you can put your own names and faces to the
characters in the story, because this story is representative of
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the two camps into which most exercisers fall – the Strength
camp and the Fitness camp. In Fitness4x4 we know that there is
a middle ground. Interestingly, many fitness people dismiss this
middle ground as being a ‘no-mans-land’. To the contrary, we
believe that this middle ground is the secret to optimum vitality
and lasting physical well-being.
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(low)
RESISTANCE
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Task 9
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PACE
Walking Running
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(Low)
PACE
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Resistance
In Fitness4x4 when we refer to a high resistance, we do so
within the context of ‘Fitness’ training. Since we have already
defined fitness training as having a minimum duration
(approximately 15mins), then it follows that a high resistance is:-
Pace
In Fitness4x4 when we refer to pace of movement, we know
from our research that if a person can perform more than 20
repetitions per minute, this is not a low pace of movement. For
example running or cycling, often involve performing more than
100 repetitions per minute, which clearly indicates that the PACE
is high and the resistance must be LOW. It therefore follows that
low Pace of movement is:-
When you can achieve this with upper and lower body, you will
not only maximize cardio/muscular conditioning simultaneously,
but you will also:
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Principle 4
Minimal Time Investment
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and we are both in excellent physical condition. Would
this be a fair summary so far?”
The Doctor agreed that we were both extraordinary athletes,
especially considering our age. Pulling a $100 bill from my
pocket and holding it up to face the audience, I continued…
“Then let us say that this $100 bill represents both myself
and your triathlete. In many ways we are similarly rich in
terms of health and vitality, and indeed to most observers
we are similarly at the peak of fitness.”
I then turned the dollar bill so that all that could be seen was the
paper-thin edge of the bill, and asked,
“Does anybody know what this side of the bill represents?
This side of the bill represents a factor that we have so far
avoided mentioning and not even considered, yet I believe
it is perhaps the most important factor in this discussion.
The thin side of this $100 bill represents the amount of
time I have invested in exercise in the past year, by
training on average three hours per week. I want you now
to imagine the thickness of the bill that represents your
colleague’s time investment in cycling 500miles or more
per week, as well as running and swimming great
distances every day. There is no comparison. I would
probably need an extra pair of hands to hold the thick bill
that represents the hundreds of hours that your colleague
dedicates to maintaining his physical condition!”
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I consider the minimum time investment principle to be one of
the secrets of optimum fitness for life, but it can only be applied
with an understanding of exercise intensity.
Often people will attempt to “save time”, combining their exercise
with other unrelated activities. Examples of this are: watching TV
or reading a magazine while exercising; armchair exercising, or
even participating in fun recreational activities and sports.
While it can be argued that all of these activities have a positive
effect on a person’s fitness level, in Fitness4x4 we take an
opposite approach: we separate recreation from fitness training.
By making this separation you will understand how it is possible
for three hours training per week to keep you in optimum
condition. You will begin to understand the concept of training
efficiency versus training duration. It may not sound impressive
to say, “I spent thirty minutes at the gym today”, because usually
quality is judged by quantity, but in that thirty minutes you may
achieve more than many people achieve in two hours of low
intensity training. And then you will be able to use the free time
created time to truly enjoy whatever recreational activity you
choose, without feeling the need to half-heartedly combine
recreation and exercise. Let your leisure time be leisure time
and your exercise be truly purposeful.
How intense is
your training?
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The reason for such a response is that people often judge the
quality of a workout simply by the duration, without an
understanding of what we call the ‘Power Coefficient’. The
Power Coefficient is what tells us the EFFICIENCY of your
exercise, not just the time you invested in it.
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The Power Co-efficient is one simple indicator of the quality of
your exercise, and the intensity at which you are working. It is
also an objective means by which we can compare the intensity
of two different workouts.
Example:
If an average person exercises for one hour and exerts an
Energy Output of 180,000units, we can calculate his/her co-
efficient in the following way:
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Task 7
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Most gym users who exercise for one hour usually exercise with
a low Power Coefficient. Consequently, a 30min workout to
such people is naturally assumed to be only half as good as a 60
minute workout. They are seeing the workout through their own
“spectacles” and that is precisely why a 30minute workout
usually prompts the response,
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But we all know this is not the question we are asking – we are
asking what will give the best results…and with the least time
investment! The point is perhaps best illustrated in the story of
The Young Commuter…
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The answer is so obvious in this analogy, but interestingly in the
world of fitness many people are not so ‘street-wise.’ We are all
so readily convinced of the value of various exercise methods
and gadgets, that we rarely stop to consider: WHAT DO WE
ACTUALLY GET FROM THESE METHODS IN THE TIME THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO COMMIT TO THEM.
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Practicing Fitness4x4
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You have now reached the section of the book where your new
training begins. At this point it is important to summarize the key
practical aspects of Fitness4x4:-
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These two exercises are how we measure your upper and lower
body fitness levels. They are also the most efficient and effective
for producing energy output, muscular conditioning and CV
conditioning, in a short space of time. Together these two
movements make up what in Fitness4x4 we call “VERTICAL
TRAINING”.
As you progress in your training, you will find out why the squat
and the vertical lift are the most effective exercises. Once you
have mastered these two movements, you can progress to other
variations of Fitness4x4 training such as the ‘4x4 Powerwalk’,
‘4x4 Strength Training’ or the ‘4x4 PowerHour’. All of these
variations of 4x4 training are powerful extensions of the
Fitness4x4 concept and you may find a favorite method that best
suits your specific needs. But remember at age 54 my training
still revolves around two simple exercises - the squat and the
vertical lift! WHY? Not because they are the most fun, or
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because I don’t have other more interesting options, but for one
simple reason:
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Getting Started
Week 1
The first week of Fitness4x4 training is crucial. At this stage, less
is more! If you can limit yourself during this first week, your
progress during the second week will be considerably better.
Week one is about adaptation and acclimation to new exercises,
and not about intensity or results. During week one maintain your
customary workout schedule, and simply fit in the following tasks
around your other training.
Day 1
Targets
DAY 2
Targets
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Take time to stretch out your quads, biceps and shoulders
primarily, at the end of your lifting. Note: it is better to follow the
above order and begin with the squats as opposed to the lifts. In
this way the squats can use the large leg muscles to assist in
warming up the body in preparation for the vertical lifts.
Day 3
Remember, our focus is to start developing your upper body
fitness, and bring it into balance with the lower body. Try not to
speculate intellectually and scientifically about the energy
balance of the body – that will get you nowhere. Let your body
tell you through its own physical experience what it means to
have complete fitness. I am sure that, once you have
experienced such fitness, you won’t put up with anything else.
Targets
I advise taking a rest day from Fitness4x4. You may perform any
other exercises that you are familiar with today, but not
Fitness4x4. If your upper body is sore, or you feel any
tenderness in the elbow or shoulder joint, do not do any
exercises that will exacerbate the problem.
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Day 4
Today you are going to perform a simple variation of a
Fitness4x4 training method called the ‘Dragan-walk’. In order to
do this you will need a light pair of handweights (approx 5lbs for
ladies and 5-10lbs for men). You will also need a place to walk. It
is possible to perform this exercise on a treadmill but this can be
dangerous and many health clubs will not allow you to take
dumbbells onto the treadmill.
Targets
Day 5
Today you are going to perform a higher number of vertical lifts.
To help you achieve this, you will split the total into three
achievable sets, however if you wish you may complete the full
set of 150 repetitions in one go.
Targets
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DAY 6
Today it is important to allow your shoulders and arms (primarily
the anterior deltoid and biceps tendon) to recover. Instead you
will focus on the lower body and performing one large set of
squats. Unless you are very experienced in squatting, ensure
that you follow the guidelines below and only perform a shallow
squat (see picture). This session will give you a feel for high
repetition squatting.
Targets
DAY 7 REST!
Next week you will begin the Fitness4x4 testing stage, which will
require all of your energy and muscles that are not sore!
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There are three tests to undertake during week two. You may
spread them throughout the week however best suits you.
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Test Protocol:
Complete the test sheet on the following page and record your
results in the designated boxes.
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NAME
AGE DATE
Dumbbell
Weight (lb)
Vertical Lift
ROM (inch)
Repetitions
(Each arm cycle counts as one rep)
Test
Duration
Energy
Output
Power Co-
Efficient*
Reminder:
Energy Output = weight x vertical distance x reps
Power Co-Efficient = Energy Output divided by Time
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Test Protocol
Complete the test sheet on the following page and record your
results in the designated boxes.
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AGE Date
Squat
Weight (lb)
Squat ROM
(inches)
Test
Duration
Energy
Output
Power Co-
Efficient
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Test Protocol:
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In the early stages you may find that it is best to simply use your
Fitness4x4 training as a supplement to your existing training. As
your capacity improves however, it can begin to take a more
prominent role in your exercise habits.
It is recommended that you take a rest day from Fitness4x4 once
a week to allow the body to recover from this form exercise. The
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Fitness4x4 method is applicable both to upper-body training and
lower-body training. Since the imbalance of most people is in
favor of the lower-body however, we emphasize the importance
of upper-body conditioning, using the Vertical Training routine
workout.
Your Goal
Vertical Lifts
Squats
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• It is possible to add resistance to the squat by carrying a
weight or wearing a weights vest, but this should only be
considered when you are able to perform 500 free squats
without difficulty, and should be approached cautiously to
prevent back injury.
• Always begin your squats at a slow pace to allow the
knees to warm up gradually.
feedback@fitness4x4.com
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Breathing
Regular, controlled breathing is essential for optimum
performance. Try to adopt the following breathing pattern:
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Control
• Always execute the movements in a smooth, controlled
manner.
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Mental Focus
It is vital that you focus completely on the movements that you
are performing or you will not achieve the necessary EO for
maximum results. Try to minimize any distractions, such as TV
screens, telephones, etc. If it is not possible to avoid these
distractions, simply block them out of your mind. Do not interrupt
your Fitness4x4 routine to make conversation or chat.
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Pulse Rate
The heart rate is a simple and accurate way of monitoring the
cardiovascular intensity of exercise, and is therefore essential
information to the serious athlete.
• Find your either your radial pulse (at the wrist) or your
carotid artery pulse (either side of your windpipe),
depending on which one is stronger and easier to find.
• Count the number of pulses (heart beats) in six seconds.
• Multiply this figure by 10, to find out your heart rate in
beats per minute.
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Squat Guidelines
Perhaps the simplest and most complete of all lower body
exercises, the squat is the principle lower body exercise used in
Fitness4x4. It is also the exercise used to evaluate lower body
Energy Output Capacity. The reasons we use the squat are quite
simple:-
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beginning regular high rep squatting after the age of 35, they are
stronger than ever in my life. I recall being in my early thirties
when a young fitness trainer informed me that the amount of
squats I was performing (approximately 300 in one go) was
dangerous. I replied that to the contrary I found squats to be very
safe and very effective. The young instructor, who ironically
happened to be wearing knee supports, with a shake of her head
said to me,
“You may be okay now, but in ten years time if you keep
doing what you’re doing, your knees are going to be
totally shot!”
About twenty years have passed since this young girl’s warning,
and I have probably performed well over a million free squats
since that day! I no longer perform only 300 squats at a time, but
often 1000. My knees have never felt stronger!
N.B
In this book I will only deal with the free squat and not the
weighted squat. A weighted squat will produce a greater energy
output, but is a progression that should only be made when a
person has mastered the free squat. The weighted squat
requires a slightly more complex and refined technique than the
free squat.
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principles of Fitness4x4. Besides that, hardly anything else in
his life was different, including his diet.
Last, but not least, a pair of dumbbells is much less bulky and
far cheaper than any rowing machine and certainly longer
lasting!
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1. Is your current training method providing you fitness
and muscular development for the upper and lower
body?
2. Is your current training method causing you injuries (i.e
stress injuries from impact)?
3. How much time are you having to invest in your
training method to maintain/improve your current
condition?
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In Closing…
Congratulations on having made it to this point in the book. I
hope that your eyes have been opened and you have been
inspired to join me on the lifelong path towards ultimate vitality.
Dragan
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Feedback
We are interested in your feedback. Now that you
have read the book and applied the principles to
your training, we would like to hear about your
progress. Please send us an email and let us know:
• How has this book helped you?
• Have you been able to apply the principles in your life?
• How has your understanding changed as a result of reading this
book?
• Have you noticed any physical improvements?
• Has your training / lifestyle changed as a result of reading the
book?
• Are you unclear about any particular sections?
• Any other comments.
feedback@fitness4x4.com.
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Questions
It is likely that you have many pressing questions
about the book and about Fitness4x4 training. If
you would like to address a question to Fitness4x4
founder Dragan, please send it by email to:-
questions@fitness4x4.com
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Consultation
The best way to truly refine your understanding of Fitness4x4 is
to receive private consultations with Dragan, the originator of the
program, either in person or by telephone. For pricing, locations
and availability, send an email to
consultation@fitness4x4.com
orders@fitness4x4.com
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AGE SEX
Body
Weight (lb)
Squat (Bodyweight minus 10%)
Weight (lb)
Vertical Lift
ROM*
Squat ROM*
(inches)
Resting
Heart Rate
Max Heart (220-age)
Rate
Training ___
Zone
(70%-90%)
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Progress Chart
Workout Exercise Duration Weight Range Reps EO
Example: Vertical lifts 10mins 20 lbs 50inch 100 100,000 units
1
2
Week 1 3
Date: 4
(_/_/__) 5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
1
2
Week 2 3
4
5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
1
2
Week 3 3
4
5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
1
2
Week 4 3
4
5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
1
2
Week 5 3
4
5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
1
2
Week 6 3
4
5
6
Weekly total - Energy Output:
At the end of each week add up your total energy output and record in the
corresponding blue box.
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